Contact lenses are commonly packaged in blister packs. Blister packs come in many different forms, and typically include a container having a concave bowl or cavity formed therein, and a removable cover adhered over the bowl to retain the contact lens and a dose of saline therein and maintain sterility. The contact lens may be subjected to in-container quality assurance inspection while within the bowl of the container.
Surface chip defects can occur on a contact lens when the front curve of the contact lens adheres to the interior surface of the container's bowl, for example, before the saline dosing process or during autoclaving. The adhesion of the contact lens to the container surface may be so great that small chips are torn off of the front face of the contact lens as the lens detaches from the container, creating surface chip defects.
Surface chip defects sometimes result in a lower quality product, reduced efficiency, and increased manufacturing costs. Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist in the contact lens manufacturing field for reducing the incidence of surface chip defects.